1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of sectional overhead door constructions which preferably use a plurality of individual panels connected in an articulated manner such as to be pivotal with respect to one another and to facilitate storage of the sectional overhead door in a horizontal orientation above the vertical orientation when the door is closed.
In order to achieve movement capability a means must be included for maintaining the individual sectional door panels immediately adjacent to one another while at the same time allowing pivoted articulated movement relative to one another. It is preferable that this pivotal movement be achieved in a pinch-free manner to prevent dangers to users and operators of such doors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many prior art devices for providing hinges and door panel configurations and interlocking means for forming articulated sectional overhead door designs such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,070,557 patented Feb. 16, 1937 to H. H. Bartel and assigned to Huck-Gerhardt Company, Inc. on a "Hinge Structure"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,093,020 patented Sep. 14, 1937 to W. A. Norberg and assigned to Rowe Manufacturing Company on an "Overhead Door Construction"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,525,309 patented Oct. 10, 1950 to W. A. Norberg and assigned to Raynor Manufacturing Company on a "Guide Roller And Hinge Structure"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,645,807 patented Jul. 21, 1953 to J. F. McKee et al and assigned to McKee Door Company on a "Hinge For Multisection Overhead Doors"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,697 patented Apr. 28, 1959 to E. L. Stroup and assigned to Overhead Door Corporation on a "Hinge And Track Engaging Roller Support For Slidable Closures"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,902,087 patented Sep. 1, 1959 to E. L. Stroup and assigned to Overhead Door Corporation on "Hinges And Track Engaging Roller Supports For Slidable Closures"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,175 patented Nov. 14, 1961 to H. J. Biedinger et al and assigned to Syracuse Stamping Company, Inc. on a "Hinge"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,491 patented Oct. 30, 1962 to P. E. Pemberton et al and assigned to Overhead Door Corporation on a "Hinge And Track Engaging Roller Support For Slidable Closures"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,583 patented Sep. 3, 1963 to D. H. Rowe et al and assigned to Rowe Manufacturing Company on a "Combined Hinge And Track Roller Supporting Structure"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,913 patented Apr. 9, 1968 to V. E. Clapsaddle and assigned to Kinnear Corporation on a "Hinge And Roller Carrier Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,472 patented Jan. 12, 1988 to M. Hormann and assigned to Hormann KG Amshausen on a "Sectional Strip For Roll-Up, Fold-Up, And Similar Gates"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,018 patented Jun. 7, 1988 to K. Alten on a "Sectional Door For Buildings And The Like"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,397 patented Dec. 27, 1988 to P. Whiteman and assigned to Morgan Corporation on a "Door And Hinge Construction For Overhead Doors"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,561 patented Jun. 5, 1990 to R. Clay and assigned to Whiting Roll-up Door Mfg. Corp. on a "Roll-Up Door Joint Construction"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,441 patented Feb. 26, 1991 to A. Leist et al on "Sectional Doors And Flexible Hinge Assemblies"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,114 patented Mar. 26, 1991 to T. Hormann and assigned to Hormann KG Brockhagen on an "Overhead Door"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,108 patented Jul. 28, 1992 to P. Esnault and assigned to FTFM la Toulousaine on a "Panel Articulation System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,850 patented Sep. 22, 1992 to B. Urbanick and assigned to Paneltech Ltd. on a "Weatherproof Continuous Hinge Connector For Articulated Vehicular Overhead Doors"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,914 patented Dec. 8, 1992 to D. Keller and assigned to Hi-Fold Door Corporation on an "Automatic Jamb Latch Mechanism For Overhead Bifold Door"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,951 patented Jun. 22, 1993 to R. Dagenais on a "Hinge Construction For A Folding Closure Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,724 patented Aug. 17, 1993 to D. Perrin et al on a "Roller-Hinge Assembly For Retractable Overhead Door"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,597 patented Dec. 7, 1993 to J. Green on a "Garage Door Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,473 patented Oct. 11, 1994 to T. Sherick on a "Bottom Fixture For Overhead Garage Doors"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,993 patented Nov. 22, 1994 to J. Jella on a "Sectional Door"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,051 patented Apr. 25, 1995 to W. Mullet et al and assigned to Wayne-Dalton Corp. on a "Track System For Sectional Doors"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,206 patented Aug. 29, 1995 to J. Shepard on "Flexible Closures Formed Of Interlocking Segments"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,164 patented Oct. 15, 1996 to J. Jella on a "Sectional Door Panel Hinge".